The MotoGP World Championship planned to be organised in western Hungary in September will probably be called off, sports and local government minister Istvan Gyenesei said on Tuesday. The construction company said there was no delay.
The circuit for the race—an 80 million euro facility to be constructed by the Spanish Sedesa group—is not likely to be completed in time, the minister said, blaming the Spanish builder for the delay in preparations.
“So, it’s very likely that the circuit won’t be ready and the race won’t be able to go ahead. But we’ve had no official word from the Spanish side,” Gyenesei said.
He insisted that the Hungarian side had done all the necessary ground work for construction to begin this month.
Hungary had announced last July that it planned to build a motorcycling circuit to host MotoGP competitions from 2009 onwards, with the 2009 leg scheduled for September 20.
It was to replace the Shanghai MotoGP in China.
Rumours suggest that the impressive new Portimao circuit in Portugal could replace the Balatonring event, but that would probably require a calendar reshuffle since Estoril is due to host the Portuguese Grand Prix directly after Hungary on October 4.
Hungary last played host to a motorcycle grand prix back in 1992, when Eddie Lawson took victory from fellow Americans Doug Chandler and Randy Mamola.
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